


Make It Right

by omyeol



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Breaking Up & Making Up, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Post-Break Up, Romance, Yixing is still a musician tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:09:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25971121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/omyeol/pseuds/omyeol
Summary: Painting #11: Yixing is a musician, who is having a hard time getting over his ex-boyfriend Kim Junmyeon and his new relationship.-Yixing has always been cursing the universe for a lot of things; for taking Junmyeon away from him and for leaving Junmyeon's traces all over the town for Yixing to see. He doesn't know, though, that sometimes the universe is playing with him. Twisting this around for him, testing him, and giving him the chance to make it right.
Relationships: Kim Junmyeon | Suho/Zhang Yi Xing | Lay
Comments: 17
Kudos: 46
Collections: 1001 Tales: Suho/Lay Fic Fest Round 3





	1. one.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This has been such a long journey for me. While angst is the genre I really like, writing this story hasn't been easy. To the mods, thank you so much for holding another round of this fic fest! To the prompter, I really hope you enjoy reading this story! I actually have so many plans for this story, for Yixing and Junmyeon's journey, but due to the time constriction, this is all I managed to write. To my support system, I and P, thank you so much for listening to me rant about this story, about my struggles with this story, and for always supporting me. To everyone reading this story, I hope you enjoy this story! If you don't mind please leave a comment below and talk to me about this story! Once again, thank you! 
> 
> (Disclaimer: English is not my first language, so please bear with some mistakes you'll probably find in the story below.)

_i._

Yixing doesn’t know how he started getting involved in this whole thing, but he suddenly realizes how _boring_ the whole show is (especially since he has no one to talk to). it’s actually not a political gathering (at least not what his manager told him last week), but he actually thinks the gathering _can_ be called _a political gathering_ since there is this new Mayor candidate (apparently he’s young enough to be going to this kind of gathering) going in for an upcoming election. 

As one of the co-founders of the brand goes on talking about the recently released collection, Yixing grabs his untouched wine glass and takes a little sip of it. Schooling his expression, he tries to not show his distaste of the wine and places the glass back on the table. Although he realizes that his attempt on hiding the bitter taste in his mouth fails when he hears a low chuckle from the man sitting next to him, a fellow celebrity that he has met before when he went on a TV show four months ago. 

“Do you not like wine or are you just bad at drinking alcohol?” Luhan, the name of the said man, teases, glancing at Yixing who’s still trying to figure out how to get rid of the bitter taste from his mouth. 

“Both,” he answers simply with a light chuckle and then claps along with the other audience once he realizes that now the founder has finished his speech. As the applause dies down, he starts feeling around the pockets on his pants and blazer to see if he brings any chewing gum or sour candy, or just _anything._

Just when he’s about to give up and accept his fate that the bitter taste will stay in his mouth until the end of the gathering, Luhan’s hand stretches out in front of him with a few options of chewing gum _and_ candy that he can freely choose. 

“Woah, you’re a lifesaver,” Yixing notes, a small smile blooming on his face and thus his dimples make an appearance for everyone to see. Taking a lemon-flavored candy and opening the wrapper, he places the candy on his tongue and shivers slightly once the sour taste takes over his taste bud. “Thank you so much, Han-ge.” He shoves the wrapper into his blazer pocket and relaxes in his seat. 

Both of them haven’t seen each other since that TV show, and Yixing regrets that he can’t talk more than the less-than-five-minutes interaction because not long after that, he has to get up and leave his table to film some videos with some magazine crews. As he stands in front of the shelves full of new released handbags and shoes, he can’t help but notice how the whole design _and_ style reminds him of someone. The pastel-y color and the handmade drawings attached on every product is almost enough to take him back to his life years ago, and although the pull to reminisce of that time is so strong, he needs to clear his head and focus on doing his job so the whole thing can wrap up quickly. 

Just as he’s about to film the last video of the night, one of the co-founders (the one that wasn’t giving a speech on the stage before) approaches him with a bright smile across his face. The crew moves back and directs the camera away from him to the approaching man. He walks with his shoulders straight and confidence that for a second Yixing envies him for having that strong aura. 

“Hello, I’m Byun Baekhyun.” The man introduces himself to Yixing in an accented Mandarin and stretches his hand out for a handshake which Yixing accepts gladly. “Thank you for coming to the opening of our pop-up store.” The words sound rehearsed and now from up close, Yixing can see that Byun Baekhyun is nervous about communicating in a foreign language. 

“I’m Zhang Yixing, and it’s such a pleasure to be here.” He flashes his infamous, dimpled smile and takes his hand back. “If you’re not comfortable with Mandarin, you can talk in Korean.” He gambles, hoping that the man really _is_ Korean, because if not he’s going to be _very_ embarrassed. 

“Ah, okay, okay.” The relief that Baekhyun feels can’t be hidden. They both share a chuckle before Baekhyun moves on with his questions. “So, what do you think about the collection?” As one of the guests, Yixing is wearing the collection from head to toe, just like any of the other celebrities invited to the show. He finds the clothing (especially the shoes) really comfortable, and with that in mind, he knows that this won’t be the last time he wears it. 

“I have to admit that they’re my favorites now. This style is right up my alley and some of the designs are unique, too. I believe it’s another success, Mr. Byun.” The smile on the co-founder’s face widens and there’s a light in his eyes that no one can miss. It’s a sign of how good the night has turned out, and Yixing is honored to be a part of his tonight. “Especially, since the profit of this collection will be donated to those in need, it becomes more meaningful.” 

“If I may ask, which one from the collection is your most favorite?” Yixing takes a moment to think about his answer. Along with the clothes he’s currently wearing, he was sent some other products from the collection, such as two pairs of hoodies, an animated t-shirt that has a unique bunny drawing on it, and a tote bag. They are all simple and comfortable enough for him to wear daily, but still, if he has to pick one, his answer is still the same. 

“It’s hard to choose, but I think the shoes are my number 1 from this collection.” Baekhyun nods at his answer. “I like the fit and how comfortable it is. The design is pretty simple too, and basically I can pair it with so many clothes. Plus, this little bunny on the side kind of grows on me.” 

“Ah, the shoes are a collaboration with one of my good friends. He’s the one who draws that little bunny.” Yixing raises an eyebrow at the explanation. “Yeah, it’s part of the _Prive x SUHO_ collection that is available for the public next week.” 

_Prive x SUHO._

_SUHO._

Just a mention of the name almost makes his heart stop beating. It has been such a long time since he hears that name. _His_ pseudonym. A name that is familiar yet foreign to him these days. A name that is used to get his heart racing. 

Blinking his eyes rapidly to clear the fog in his mind, Yixing tells himself that he can’t slip away tonight. He still has to go through the event before he can be left alone. He still has to keep up with his smile and be professional. _Broken heart be damned,_ he reminds himself bitterly. 

“It’s such a shame that Suho himself can’t attend this event, but I’ll make sure to extend your praise about his design to him.” Yixing can only nod and smile, not having the energy left to say anything else.

Thankfully, that is the end of everything. Baekhyun extends his hand again for another handshake before moving on to talk to other people. As he’s finally left alone in front of the crew, the PD tells the cameraman to stop recording, deeming that there is enough footage. As if on instinct, his manager approaches him and signals him to start to bid farewell to the crew and any of the celebrity friends in the room. Moving in a blur, he is ushered to leave the event with cameras still in his direction and the flash almost blinding him. The camera captures every move he makes and the scream is deafening enough that the thought of placing his hands over his ears actually crosses his brain for the first time in such a long time. 

The maddening contrast once he’s in his car only makes his heart _race._ The deafening silence that envelops the whole car ride to his apartment does nothing to help a million thoughts running in his mind. It feels like everything is weighing down on him that his chest feels _tight._

“Are you okay?” His manager asks from the passenger seat. Yixing looks up from the little bunny drawing on the side of his shoes to give his manager a look. 

“Do you know about it, Min-ge?” Yixing braves himself to ask. He has an idea of what the answer might be, but he still asks the question anyway for peace of his mind. 

“I do. I did some research, you know, a few days ago.” Shutting his eyes, he leans his head on the headrest and darts his gaze away to the window. A sign that he wishes to be left alone with his thoughts for the remaining of the ride back home. 

Life really does work in a funny way, he thinks. Just when he has finally accepted his fate, he’s forced to rethink everything _._ It hasn’t been an easy feat, accepting your fate and recognizing that life doesn’t always work the way you want to. Yixing is painfully aware of that, has been experiencing it first hand. He has made peace with it, with everything that happened. He’s been living his life to the fullest, doing the things he wants to do. He’s been seizing every moment in his life to his own favor. He has done _his best._

So, where did he go wrong? 

Did he not count his blessing enough? Did he forget something along the way? _What_ did he do wrong? Does he have to do everything all over again?

So many questions running through his mind, so many answers that he wishes he can get, but from who? The universe won’t just hand over the answer to him easily. The universe _likes_ to make him work for it. Just like the next person, he _knows_ he has to work for it--comply with the universe and does his _very_ best to make terms with everything. 

The thing is, he doesn’t know if he has the energy to do it all over again this time around. With his eyes locked on the moon, he wishes that the universe goes easy with him this time. It’s a futile thing to ask, he knows, but a man can hope, right? 

Until the end, he will keep on praying and hoping, he decides. No matter what the universe may throw at him again along the way.


	2. two.

_ii._

For a day at the beginning of the summer, the sun is shining too bright for Yixing’s liking. The sunshine seeps through the window of his usually dimly lit apartment. For a second, he is contemplating closing the curtains and shield himself from the sun. Why did he think it’s a good idea to let the sun in?

_“You can’t seriously live in pitch-black like this. It’s not healthy for your soul, hon.”_

Those words crossed his mind briefly a moment before and he let it sink in. Unlike before, he doesn’t shake his head to push it out of his brain. He dwells on it and smiles bitterly to himself, remembering the exact tone and expression his ex used when he barged into Yixing’s room with determination in his steps. He remembers how he just laid in his bed and watched as his ex drew his curtains back and went on a rant about how necessary it is to let the sunshine in. 

If Yixing closes his eyes, he can still see that moment clearly behind his eyelids. Remembering that moment alone sends shivers running through his whole body which he welcomes. 

Now, though, if he takes a look around his apartment, the one that he has lived in since he made his big break eight years ago, he can see the bits and pieces his ex left two years ago. Things are supposed to be easy. If he meant it, he could’ve just put the apartment on sale and moved somewhere else. He could’ve easily started _fresh_ in a new place that didn’t have any of his ex’s touches. 

The thing is, Yixing finds the apartment to be something that has the most sentimental value. He has been living in this apartment for so long, and he clearly didn’t want to let a failed relationship become the main reason to move out. The thought of it left a bitter taste in his own mouth, so he held on.

Now, as a loud sigh leaves his mouth, he wonders if he was in the right mind to make all those decisions back then. Because now he’s actually contemplating if he really should’ve moved somewhere else. 

“Until when are you going to stare at the window like that?” The familiar voice of his own manager startles the living out of Yixing that he almost jumps from his seat. Turning his gaze away from the window, he passes Min a look. “You really didn’t hear me arrive, did you?” 

“Nope. You never make a sound anyway when you walk.” He gazes at the plastic bag in Min’s hold as he moves to the dining area. “Did you get me the... what is it again? I forgot.” Min rolls his eyes but indulges Yixing either way, grabbing the Tupperware full of food that he craves. “ _Ah,_ yes.” 

His manager doesn’t even bat an eye anymore when Yixing laughs at himself upon realizing that it’s ridiculous to forget the thing he asked for earlier in the day. In silence, they both move together to set up the table for their lunch. 

“So, I received a call from Sehun last night.” Yixing starts as he starts picking a dim sum with his chopsticks. Glancing at his manager, he tries to read if Min _still_ remembered who Sehun is. When he notices a small nod, he continues his word. “He’s planning to release another album with Chanyeol, and he’s actually asking me if I’m available to produce their album.” 

“Oh? That’s great,” Min says it so nonchalantly that Yixing doesn’t know if Min is responding in a good or bad way. 

“Yeah, that’s great. He told me that it’s been a while since their latest release.” Receiving another nod from Min, he thinks that it’s just better to get straight to the point. “They want me to produce their album in South Korea.” Now _that_ makes Min drop his chopsticks and finally look up at Yixing. He waits and just watches until his manager is done processing his words. Not knowing how long that’s going to take, Yixing calmly starts eating his food again since he hates it when his food is cold. 

The dim sum is nice. It’s not from the place he usually orders (since it’s out of business already), but that’s alright. His usual place is full of his past memories anyway, and he doesn’t know if he’s in the mood to have another flashback moment while enjoying the food. There are plenty of good memories with _him_ , but the one related to the dim sum is clearly not the one he wants to relive behind his eyelids again. 

“They want you in Seoul?” Min asks in disbelief. “Why can’t they come here instead?” 

“It’s just easier to do it there, though. I want them to be comfortable, anyway.”

“Are _you_ going to be comfortable there, though?” 

Truth to be told, Yixing hasn’t thought about it. When he accepted the offer last night, he only thought about how it would benefit him too in a way (since he hasn’t left the country in a while). He only thought about working with Sehun and Chanyeol and how thrilling it would be. He hasn’t thought about it _thoroughly_ —how the city is painted with _a lot_ of his past memories with _that_ someone, and he doesn’t know how it’s going to affect him. His heartbeat quickens at the thought of being in Seoul again, no matter how it’s going to affect him in the end. 

“Honestly, I don’t know. But I haven’t been there in so long, and I wouldn’t know if I didn’t try, right?” His manager looks like he doesn’t even trust Yixing, furrowing his eyebrows and giving him _the_ look, but he schools his expression, not wanting to show any emotion on his face even though his heart is beating way too fast to his liking. 

“You know that if you’re going, we’re going to adjust a lot of things in your schedule, right? It’s not going to be easy. Things are going to be hectic.” Yixing just nods, knowing that it’s a consequence he’s willing to go through. Days full of powering through shooting contents for his reality show and variety shows, and studio sessions will be his routine before he can depart to Seoul without any burden. It will be days full of little to no sleep—and catching up on sleep wherever and whenever he can—but it’s not anything new. He has been through worse before, so this would be a piece of cake. 

With so much work to do, time will fly and pass in no time, he thinks. 

Unfortunately, though, time doesn’t pass as quickly as he would like. Time still _drags_ but that’s probably because he keeps counting on the days. It’s becoming so ridiculous that he even has a reminder in his calendar for the day he’d fly to Seoul. 

When it’s only hours before his flight to Seoul and he’s in the middle of finishing his packing, his phone rings. 

_Park Chanyeol_ is what shows on his phone screen. 

“Xing, hyung...” is what the person on the other line says as soon as Yixing answers the phone. To the cheery tone that he hasn’t heard in so long, he let out a low chuckle. “Hyung, I heard from Sehunnie that you’re heading to Seoul today. Is that right?” 

“Yes, Chanyeol-ah. My flight is in a few hours, actually.” Taking a seat on the edge of his bed, his gaze zeroed in on his half-packed suitcase. It is actually only one of the bags he’s going to bring with him. He doesn’t know how long the process is going to be, but his manager already blocks the next three months for this. His gut tells him that it’s going to take longer than that, but he can cross that bridge later when he gets there. 

“Wah, I’m so excited to see you again!” Chanyeol is one of his treasured friends that he’s very grateful for. Being one of those people who have been with him since the start, he’s very lucky that they didn’t drift away like he thought it would be. “Where are you staying, hyung? Do you have a place in mind already? If you don’t, I’ve got a spare room that you can stay in. I won’t mind sharing my apartment with you at all.” 

“Woah, thank you so much for offering, Yeol-ah, but for a few days, I’m going to stay at a hotel while I’m waiting for my rented apartment to be ready. Thank you, though, for the offer.” The kindness that Chanyeol showed reminds him of the past when he went to Seoul for the first time. When he had nowhere to stay, Chanyeol also offered him his spare room for a few days (before he decided to stay with his now ex-boyfriend). Now, he’s just grateful that even though things have changed, Chanyeol continues being friends with him and never stops supporting him. 

“Ah, okay. Let me know when you arrive, okay, hyung? I’ll probably drop by your hotel if that’s okay.” With a promise to text Chanyeol as soon as he arrives at the hotel later, they end the phone call. Setting down his phone beside him, he shuts his eyes and takes a deep breath. 

_Maybe things won’t be so bad,_ he tells himself; trying to stay positive. 

⃤⃤⃤⃤

_“What are you looking at?” At the sudden question piercing through the quiet, Yixing blinks his eyes rapidly and waits until his gaze shifts into focus again. The first thing that catches his eyes is the frowned eyebrows and widened eyes staring back at him. He can’t help but trail his gaze down and land itself down on the slight downturn of a pair of lips that he knows so well._

_Letting out a slight chuckle, he speaks. “Nothing,” he decides to say, only because he knows what he’ll get from the man sitting across the table with his arms crossed over his chest._

_“It’s definitely not_ nothing _. Why are you not telling me anything?” The man presses. The slight whine in his voice tells Yixing that he’s already quite annoyed by Yixing’s behavior. He doesn’t mean to tease, but he knows how the love of his life would act if he’s teased. It’s entertaining and Yixing loves to see the pout that doesn’t make an appearance as much as it did before._

_“It really is nothing, Junmyeon-ah.” Junmyeon raises his eyebrows and squints his eyes, still not believing what Yixing just said. But he relents when Yixing raises from his seat and circles the table to reach him and kiss him on his forehead to calm him down._

_Taking a seat on the empty seat next to his lover, Yixing casually slings his arm over the petite man’s shoulder and brings him to lean his head on Yixing’s shoulder. “C’mon, let’s finish your work, so we can watch that American movie you want to watch so bad.”_

_“It’s_ Inception, _hon. Inception is what that American movie called.”_

_“Ah, yes, that one.” The way Junmyeon rolls his eyes doesn’t go unnoticed by him, but he just shakes his head at his partner’s behavior, thinking about how lucky he is to have someone like Junmyeon in his life. “I love you.” The words are out of his mouth before he can even think about it._

_Junmyeon, clearly not expecting that at all, can only stare at Yixing with such an unwavering gaze. He stays still and lets the silence kill his hope. His brain is ready to come up with many excuses for why it’s such bad timing to say those words. But then, just when he’s ready to give up and accept his defeat, the silence is finally broken._

_“I love you too.” The way Junmyeon says it with a sincerity laced in his voice really causes Yixing’s eyes to water. Blinking his eyes quickly before the tears have the chance to fall, he leans in and pecks his boyfriend’s lips lightly. He pulls away before giving Junmyeon any chance to kiss him back, afraid that he won’t be able to control himself._

_It’s a bit funny to see how surprised Junmyeon looks like he’s only kissed for the first time. The flush on his peachy cheeks and the slight pout are tempting Yixing to indulge himself by giving the speechless man more kisses, but he has other plans._

_“Why are you looking at me like that?” Yixing teases, and that’s enough to break Junmyeon out of his reverie. He watches Junmyeon huff and turns away from him, settling his gaze back on his awaiting work. “I’ll take a quick nap, okay? Just wake up when you’re done with your work.” Deciding to tease Junmyeon some more, he steals a kiss to Junmyeon’s kiss as he gets up from his seat. The only thing he can hear as he makes his way to the bedroom is Junmyeon’s laugh filling out the whole apartment._

⃤⃤⃤⃤

It has been so long since the last time he saw Chanyeol and Sehun, and it seems like they haven’t changed one bit.

That’s what Yixing thinks when he goes out to have dinner _and_ brainstorming sessions with the two of them. Chanyeol, now with his hair bleached silver, still oozes that boyish charm and cracks a charming smile that never fails to make him feel welcomed, even though they barely talk to each other since the fall out between him and a certain someone. Sehun, with his strong eyebrows and bite in his words, still clings to him and asks him _tons_ of questions, eager to catch up and make up for the lost time. 

With the two of them and fusion Korean-Chinese foods spread out on their table, it’s easy to make him think like he’s in Seoul for a vacation, not for work. The homely and familiarity ambiance surrounding him lulls him to a false sense of security that can easily trap him anytime. A part of him wants to take a walk and visit the places he’s been before just for the sake of reliving his own memories, but another part (which also the _rational_ part of him) tells him to snap out of it and just do what he’s supposed to do. 

“Hyung, how about we have a sleepover next time? Staying alone in a hotel room must be so lonely,” Sehun proposes. He does it so nonchalantly, leaning back on his seat and crossing his arms over his chest. His eyebrows are working hard, furrowed like he’s been thinking so hard to come up with the idea.

“Oh! Right, right! I can bring my guitar too, and maybe we could have a song-writing session while we’re at it? It’d be great, though, hyung. We should do it.” The bright smile across Chanyeol’s face is what pushes him to easily accept their offer. It’s like he can’t bear it if that smile dims and is changed with the kicked puppy look. He doesn’t think his heart can take it. 

“Good, good, so when should we do it? Hyung, will you be staying at the hotel until the end of the week or will you be already moving by then?” For a while, it’s easy for Yixing to get lost in a sea of questions and plan-making courtesy of Oh Sehun. His rapid questions are distracting enough for him that he doesn’t even realize when Chanyeol stands up and opens the door of their private dining room. 

“Ah, Chanyeol-ah, there you are. I almost knocked on another room.” _That_ voice, though, is what pulls Yixing out of the reverie Sehun put him in. Turning his gaze away from the still-speaking man in front of him, his eyes land on the familiar figure who is also wearing a _familiar_ jacket over his plain t-shirt standing on the doorway. 

Yixing can’t believe his eyes. 

He doesn’t _want_ to believe his eyes. 

It hasn’t even been a full week since he arrived in Seoul and the universe is already playing with him. Is it his punishment? Or is it the universe’s way of pulling him back to earth? To make sure that he’s always conscious of everything? What is it? 

“ _Oh._ Hi, I didn’t know you’re here.” Yixing can feel the palm of his hands sweating and his heart rate increase. The way _his voice_ can make him scramble after _years_ of not hearing it, he finds himself lost at words. Putting up a brave face, he only flashes _him_ a small smile. Words are jumbled in his brain, but they still can’t be said. “When did you get here, by the way?” 

As a public figure, Yixing likes to think that he can handle being put on the spot most of the time. It’s a thing that comes naturally as his career progresses. He thinks that he can easily avert the crisis somewhere else if he wants to. This time, though, with a man he used to claim as the ‘ _love of his life_ ’ and two of his own mutual friends, it seems like there’s an error in a part of his brain, deeming him unavailable to respond to the simple question as quickly as he’d like to.

A nudge he feels on his foot is what pulls him from whatever dimension he just dips into. Blinking slowly to once again convince himself that his own eyes are not playing with him, Yixing finally opens his mouth and says, “I arrived about two days ago.” He doesn’t mean to be curt, but words can’t find him. He still needs time to process _everything._

“Junmyeon-hyung, here, sit next to me.” Sehun (bless his heart) quickly takes over. The youngest man in the room pats on the empty chair next to him, meanwhile Chanyeol just ushers him to that empty seat after closing the door again before anyone can take a glimpse inside. 

Yixing shares glance with Chanyeol which only the other man replies with a small, nervous smile like he can’t even believe this situation they’re in right now. Looking away only to _accidentally_ meet eyes with Junmyeon who’s sitting across the table doesn’t help the knot in his stomach too. There’s still something about Junmyeon’s eyes that makes him unable to look away. A familiar feeling from the past that decides to resurface as soon as Yixing looks into his eyes. The very eyes that he notices look nervous, the slight nervous twitch that he notices happening every few seconds and so. 

_Glad I’m not the only one who’s nervous,_ Yixing thinks as he grabs his glass of water and takes a big gulp of it. 

“So, Yixing, how long do you plan to stay here?” Yixing _really_ hates to admit it, but it’s _nice_ to her Junmyeon saying his name again. God knows how long it is since the last time he heard it. 

“Um, around three months or so, I think. Depends on how long their album is going to take.” Yixing nudges at the other duo in the room. Processing the words out of his mouth, Junmyeon widens his eyes and blinks it rapidly—another trait Yixing is familiar with. 

“You’re producing their new album? _Wow,_ that’s great, Xing.” A bright smile painted over his face, Junmyeon now turns to Sehun and swats his arm. “Why didn’t you both tell me about this good news? I genuinely thought you both won’t have a comeback until, like, next year.” 

With a nonchalant shrug, Sehun says, “I tried to, but you’re _so_ busy these days. With work, and dating too.” 

_Oh._

Oh. 

_Right. It’s impossible for him to stay single all these years,_ Yixing bitterly thinks to himself. 

As if the situation can get any weirder for him, the door once again opens. This time, though, there stands a tall man that Yixing doesn’t really recognize, but he _knows_ he’s seen that face somewhere. It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack, trying to remember where he saw that face.

“Oh, Fan-hyung?” _Fan-hyung?_ Who is this man exactly?

“Ah, hello,” _Fan-hyung_ greets and nods at everyone, and Yixing can’t help but nod at the man, too. “Sorry, I took so long. It’s really hard to find a parking space.” Like it’s natural for him, _Fan-hyung_ takes a seat next to Junmyeon and plants a kiss on his cheek. 

“It’s okay, hon,” Junmyeon easily chirps with a nervous smile across his face. “Um, Yifan, this is Yixing. An old friend of mine from China. You’ve probably seen him on TV, though, he’s a musician.” 

_Hon? As in ‘honey’?_

It is an automatic response, as Yixing exchanges greetings with Yifan. That one move he does whenever he meets someone new while he’s _working._ The thing is, he’s in Seoul to not work like _that_ , like the responsibilities he has in Beijing. He’s in Seoul for a different type of responsibility, and it feels _way_ too weird for him to have Junmyeon introducing Yixing like that. 

Junmyeon _never_ introduces Yixing to someone as _a musician._ To Junmyeon, he _was a boyfriend._ That’s what he used to introduce him as. Things have changed, but as much as Yixing doesn’t want to acknowledge it, there’s a twist in his stomach at the painful realization. 

_An old friend_ is all he is to Junmyeon now. An old friend that Junmyeon never contacts again since they parted ways _years_ ago. 

Trying to pull himself away from the situation, Yixing goes back to put his attention on the remaining food on the table once he’s done acknowledging the presence of another man at their table. Although he tries so hard to not eavesdrop on whatever conversation Yifan pulls Junmyeon in, he can’t help but still do it. 

_“Should I drive you to work tomorrow? We can get breakfast along the way too if you like.”_

_“No need to do that, Fan. I have an early start tomorrow with Jongdae. I can drive myself to the office just fine.”_

_“How about lunch? Should I cook something and bring you lunch?”_

_“Fan, it’s your week off. Enjoy it with your friends or something. Stop worrying about me.”_

The longer he eavesdrops to their conversation, the more confused _and_ bitter he feels. The more he wonders about the nature of their relationship. Are they _actually_ dating? Junmyeon called him ‘ _hon’_ earlier, but that doesn’t mean they’re dating already. Afterall, Junmyeon called Yixing with that nickname, too, before they officially started dating. 

(Calling Yixing with ‘ _hon’_ became a habit that Junmyeon did unconsciously that got him thinking the nickname was a special nickname for him only. It’s a painful realization to hear it first that Junmyeon also calls another man with that nickname.)

Thankfully, before he can get lost into his own head, Chanyeol pulls him into another conversation about music. Chanyeol asks him things like whether he’s already planning about his next album and stuff, and while these kinds of questions usually bother him if they’re asked by someone else, Yixing gladly answers them truthfully. He goes on and on explaining that he only wants to focus on one thing at a time—like producing Sehun and Chanyeol’s album—and that it gets _tiring_ to be _running_ all the time. 

Yixing wants to take it slow this time, to properly enjoy the scenery as he goes. To bask in the moment as he lives each day. Unfortunately, though, the one that _made_ him run in the past comes back. Junmyeon—who he doesn’t even bother to try to keep up with—reappears in front of him like some kind of bad dream he wants to forget. An _upgraded_ looking Junmyeon, too at that, because he looks so much healthier and happier without Yixing by his side. 

Just a little bit before midnight, they decide to wrap up their dinner. Throughout the whole ‘ _deciding who to pay_ ’ game between Chanyeol and Sehun, Yixing sits back and enjoys their bicker. Not the one who has siblings, the whole experience makes him feel like they’re his siblings. 

“Yixing,” Junmyeon calls his name softly. Not the one to act like he pretends he didn’t hear it, Yixing turns and hums in response. He just then realizes that Yifan is not in the room with them anymore. “Uh, is it okay if I ask for your phone number? It’s just- I changed my phone and lost all the saved numbers in it, including yours too.” 

“Oh, okay.” At his answer, Junmyeon beams into a relieved smile and _gosh,_ it’s such a breathtaking smile that Yixing feels _bad_ to his own heart. The smaller man unlocks his phone and hands it over to Yixing eagerly. 

Holding Junmyeon’s phone in his hands feels like some kind of hot potato. Yixing just _can’t_ wait to hand it back to the owner as if it feels _wrong_ to have it in his hands. Typing both of his phone numbers, he saves it under his name before finally handing it back to Junmyeon. 

“Thank you, Xing-ah.” His heart _nearly_ stops beating when he hears his nickname coming out of Junmyeon’s mouth. He can only blink and stare as he tries to calm his heart down _and_ Junmyeon busily checks something on his phone. Just as Junmyeon looks up from his phone screen, “it’s really nice to meet you again, Xing.” 

Rendered speechless, Yixing can only nod and turn his gaze away to Chanyeol who’s now already done deciding who to pay—it’s Chanyeol himself. After packing things up and making sure that there’s nothing left behind in the room, they all exchange goodbye. He doesn’t know _how,_ but he ends up being the last person Junmyeon goes to. 

“Hey, don’t be a stranger, okay? Let’s meet again sometimes.” 

At first, the words only pass his ears like a wind, like something he doesn’t think through. Only when he’s in Chanyeol’s car on his way back to the hotel, he realizes that Junmyeon didn’t say _goodbye._


	3. three.

_ iii.  _

Fortunately for Yixing, days fly when he’s being the most productive he’s been in  _ weeks.  _ His routine these days goes a little bit like waking up, having breakfast, taking shower, heading to the studio for work, and only going home at midnight or later than that. Weirdly, though, he hasn’t skipped  _ any  _ meals even though he’s kept busy. As much as he doesn’t want to admit it, it’s because of Junmyeon who sends him (and the others too) meals almost every lunch. 

He doesn’t want to get his hopes up, but he  _ can’t  _ help it. Not with the way Junmyeon takes care of him (and the others too) by buying them lunch (and sometimes dinner too) and texts him at completely random times. It’s the way Junmyeon almost  _ always  _ catches him off guard and keeps him on his toes. Yixing tries his hardest to not get swept away by it all, though. After all, there are some questions brewing away in his brain, increasing every single day, and keeping him confused by Junmyeon’s motives behind his little actions. 

The way Junmyeon likes to drop by the studio just to give those foods is causing things to not work in his favor. How can he peacefully work and  _ move on  _ if Junmyeon uses every chance he has to mess up with Yixing’s mind? It's like the universe is testing him by making Junmyeon show up with his shirt sleeve rolled up his arms and looking completely tired yet  _ so soft  _ that Yixing has to hold the overwhelming urge to tuck the smaller man under his arm and against his body. 

Junmyeon has certainly grown more mature than the awkward man going through his postgraduate study Yixing met back in Beijing years ago. Sometimes, just by stealing glances at him, Yixing could notice the slightly darkened area under his eyes and the way his smile isn’t as bright as it used to be. The tug at his heartstring that pushes him to just approach the man and  _ talk  _ to him is always  _ there  _ whenever they’re both in the same room. 

But Yixing can’t give in, for the relationship between the two isn’t what  _ it  _ used to be and he  _ knows  _ that Junmyeon already has a partner. A partner that he only met once and have never seen again since that night. Even though there’s a twist in his heart and a knot in his stomach, he can only hope that Junmyeon is receiving all the love and care in this world because it’s what he’s worth. 

That’s why, even though he doesn’t feel actually  _ sure  _ of accepting Sehun’s offer to go to the studio together but with a pit stop at Junmyeon’s office, he still accepts it anyway. The more rational part of him urged him to just go  _ alone,  _ but this time the more emotional part of him (the one that keeps fueling his brain with Junmyeon-related thoughts) won. 

“Hyung, we’re here.” Blinking his eyes and shaking his head slightly to clear his head, Yixing realizes that now they’re already parked in the basement parking area of Junmyeon’s office building. 

“Can I just stay here?” Sehun furrows his eyebrows and shoots him the ‘ _ are you kidding me _ ’ look which can only make Yixing sigh. “Fine, let’s go.” The triumphant smile across Sehun’s face doesn’t go unnoticed, but he tries to not let it go through his head. 

Apparently, from what he gathered these days, Junmyeon is now working at his grandfather’s company. It’s not exactly the company he wanted to work for (he still vaguely remembered how Junmyeon himself expressed his desire to work independently—whatever that meant), but some experiences are needed if he wants to move in the future. Tons of questions pile up in his brain, stored away in a Junmyeon-related section in his brain, and they can only be answered by Junmyeon alone. 

“Hyung, you can wait in Junmyeon-hyung’s office while I go look for my hyung. It won’t take long, I promise.” It baffles him how  _ easy  _ it is for Sehun to just drop that to him just  _ seconds  _ before he has to face the man he’s been trying to not (really) actively get involved anymore. 

“Sehun-ah, are you sure that’s okay? Does he even  _ know _ ?” Yixing really doesn’t want to make things more awkward than it already is (in his stead), but seeing from the flat expression on Sehun’s face, it seems like he doesn’t have any choice. 

“He’d be fine, hyung. Trust me.” 

It’s actually  _ not  _ fine. 

Being left alone with Junmyeon is so  _ far  _ from the definition of ‘fine’ to Yixing, especially after his mind has been working hard trying to solve some of the puzzle pieces Junmyeon left him.

Never in a million years has he thought of despising Junmyeon—he could _never_ hate him in any way—but being left alone with this side of Junmyeon’s life that he never sees is _too_ overwhelming for him. The Junmyeon he knows is the person who likes to wear simple clothes and repeats his clothes all the time like he only has a handful of clothes in his closet, and won’t even bother wearing a damn three-piece suit unless he _really_ has to. It’s _way_ too contrasting with the now-Junmyeon standing in front of him. This Junmyeon in front of him is wearing a suit to work, _and_ works in a skyscraper building, managing a multinational company whose name he only ever heard of twice in passing. The Junmyeon he knows is _nothing_ like the person standing in front of him, and it makes him wonder. 

Does he  _ ever  _ really know of Junmyeon before? Was he being lied to back then?

“Hi,” is the first thing Junmyeon says when he sees Yixing and Sehun walking out of the elevator as if he’s been waiting for their arrival. Yixing, caught off guard by the whole gesture, can only smile stiffly. 

“Hyung, please take care of Yixing-hyung while I search for Jongdae-hyung, okay? See you in a bit.” The way Sehun left so hastily and in a rush doesn’t go unnoticed by Yixing at all. For a second, it reminds him of the old days, only with a different person and in a different place too. 

“C’mon. My office is this way.” 

Walking side by side with Junmyeon seemingly completely in his element is a different experience. Curious eyes that are glued to him is something that Yixing can easily ignore, even though a part of him has had enough of being at the receiving end of those stares. 

The walk to the end of the hall where Junmyeon’s office that’s located feels almost like a lifetime. With the people greeting him and nodding at him as he walks, Yixing feels like he just entered a new world. A sense of proud blooms inside of him, like a balloon about to burst, though the curiosity almost eats him alive too. 

“Yixing-ah, I think we need to talk,” is the first thing that Junmyeon says as soon as they’re both finally inside the office. Yixing, though, can’t help but stare at the floor-to-ceiling windows behind the messy desk. The very window that overlooked the street, and even though it’s not on the highest floor, he’s reminded of a particular conversation from a while ago.

_ “You know those windows? The one that goes from the floor all the way to the ceiling windows? Don’t you think it’s scary as hell, though?” _

_ “I think they look okay, though. It actually looks nice.” _

_ “No, but have you thought of how dangerous it is? What if there’s an earthquake and the windows just shatter?”  _

_ “Jun babe, I don’t think it works like that. Just don’t worry about it that much.”  _

“Xing-ah.” Tearing his gaze away from the window, Yixing looks down at his arm where Junmyeon’s hand got a hold of and trails his gaze up to the very owner of the hand. If the touch could burn, it would definitely burn and leave a scar there. 

“You don’t like that kind of window,” Yixing matter-of-factly says. The flush on Junmyeon’s cheek doesn’t go unnoticed. 

“Well, it’s not like I can tell them to change it to suit my taste.” Junmyeon looks so sheepish and it’s such an  _ adorable  _ look which is really in contrast to how the man looks right now, but Yixing can’t help it. The urge to smother him in hugs and kisses is  _ almost  _ unbearable. 

Yixing just nods and looks away from the fidgety man who is seemingly anxious about something. It’s very distracting, seeing Junmyeon like that. To divert his attention somewhere, Yixing decides to walk towards the shelf filled with what seemed like a row full of Junmyeon’s achievements and photos. “Xing, can we talk?” 

“About what?” A particular picture of young Junmyeon and both of his parents catches his eyes. The Junmyeon in the picture looks like he can’t be older than 5 years old. With peachy cheeks, the kid version of Junmyeon smiles so wide while sitting on his Mother’s lap. 

“About a lot of things.” The slight raise of Junmyeon’s tone should have bothered Yixing at least a little bit, but he can’t care less about it. He’s way too preoccupied with some of Junmyeon’s moments captured in the pictures. Moments that he isn’t aware of. Moments of Junmyeon with lots of people that he doesn’t even  _ know,  _ that Junmyeon didn’t even bother to tell him about. “I have a lot of things I should’ve told you before I left.”

Now  _ that  _ manages to actually catch Yixing’s attention. Turning around, he furrows his eyebrows and gazes at the other man in the room. “ _ Oh really?  _ I thought you’ve made your whole point back then.” 

“I’m sorry,” Junmyeon starts off, taking a few careful steps towards the man who used to be his other half. “I should’ve explained a lot of things to you back then. Should’ve left with proper goodbyes and everything, but I just. I wasn’t in the right state of mind back then, and with things finally taking off for you, I  _ just _ know I would be a burden to you. So, when my family couldn’t  _ stop  _ pestering me to go back to Seoul, I just saw it as my chance.” 

Yixing can’t  _ believe  _ his ears. “Junmyeon, what the hell were you thinking? You weren’t a burden to me. You will  _ never  _ be a burden to me. That’s not something you should decide for yourself.” 

“ _ I’m so sorry, Xing.  _ I know I was so,  _ so _ stupid. I’m sorry.” 

“You could have _asked me_ , Jun. Telling me that you’re moving back to Seoul _two_ days before your flight certainly wasn’t it.” Shaking his head in disbelief, Yixing can still _clearly_ remember the moment it happened. That one night in mid-July where Junmyeon suddenly dropped that bomb on him. “You kept me in the dark, too, for the _two_ whole years while we’re together. Always brushed me off whenever I asked _anything_ about your family and your life here.” 

Junmyeon, not knowing how to respond to  _ that _ , can only stand there and take whatever Yixing gives him. The way his eyes tear up used to make Yixing stop and make him want to scoop Junmyeon in his arms and assure him that things would turn out fine. But things are not okay, they are not okay, and right now, it still isn’t clear how things are going to turn out in the end.

“Do I _really_ know you?” The way Yixing let out the words feel like a venom, going straight through his bloodstream and rendering him speechless. “You were a totally different person back when we were still together. You were actually _the opposite_ of this person standing in front of me right now. Do I _ever_ really know you? Do I?” 

It’s astonishing, the way the situation unfolds for both of them now. It’s as if the random texts that happened before didn’t happen. It’s like they are back to square one; back to how they would’ve acted if things ensued differently. Pleasantries be damned. Come to think of it, it’s astounding how things didn’t turn  _ sour  _ when they saw each other again for the first time during Yixing’s first week in Seoul. It’s probably because they were in a public place, or their friends were there, or probably because they were caught  _ way  _ too off-guard, but  _ this _ … it bounds to happen. 

“Did I ever mean something to you?” He presses, sounding small and  _ weak  _ and every fiber in his being  _ hates  _ how weak he seems right now, but they’re finally showing all their cards on the table, then showing his  _ true  _ feelings that he repressed since day one is the best way to go.

“You mean  _ so much  _ to me. Don’t you  _ ever  _ doubt it,” Junmyeon hisses, slightly feeling offended that Yixing  _ asked  _ him that question. “As much as I hoped that I could turn back the time so I could do it  _ correctly,  _ I couldn’t. I know my apology probably meant nothing, but I’m  _ so sorry.  _ I’ve been trying to reach out to you to set things straight but something always seems to hold me back.” 

_ His family. His work. Yifan.  _

“Dating Yifan is what holds you back, isn’t it?” He doesn’t know why Junmyeon has the audacity to look so taken aback like he didn’t bring Yifan that night. Like he didn’t call him with that particular pet name. Like he didn’t  _ flaunt  _ his relationship in front of Yixing. 

Surprised at the words coming out of his mouth, Junmyeon’s eyes widen. It breaks Junmyeon’s stance that he crosses the leftover space between the two of them. “ _ No.  _ No,  _ gosh  _ no. I’m not dating him, I swear. I mean, I tried to, because everyone kept  _ pushing  _ me, but I couldn’t. I  _ can’t,  _ especially after that night I saw you again.” From this close, Yixing can clearly see the tears that roll down Junmyeon’s cheeks. How badly he wants to reach and wipe it away before it can fall again. 

“It feels like the universe is finally on my side again that night like they’re giving me a chance to make it right.”  _ Oh, the universe.  _ How Yixing  _ hates  _ the universe and its play sometimes. Guess the universe really works in the opposite this time. It has always been since he landed in Seoul. 

With Junmyeon  _ this  _ close, Yixing also becomes hyper-aware of how the distance between them is only a foot away and how his heart has been beating wildly in his chest like it’s attempting to break through his ribcage. His ability to think clearly is affected too, and now all he thinks about is how if he lifts his hand a little bit, he can easily reach for Junmyeon’s hand. 

So, that’s exactly what he does. 

He can’t easily pinpoint that one dominant emotion he feels when he holds Junmyeon’s hand again after  _ so long.  _ It feels like a mini trip down to the memory lane, the way their hands fit perfectly as if they’re meant for each other. As if everything goes still, Yixing can only fixate his eyes on the sight of their linked hands. The very hand that he liked to hold on to whenever they’re in the privacy of Yixing’s apartment back in Beijing. The hand that he held on to in bed and let his palm be tickled whenever he got too lost in his head. 

“So what do we do now?” Breaking through his reverie, he looks up to find Junmyeon’s eyes on him, scanning through the emotion shown across his face as if he’s afraid things would take another turn for the worse. 

_ What do we do now?  _

What seems like a simple question actually requires a difficult answer. Yixing has been asking that question to himself in the past, whenever he holed up in the safety of his own room or in his studio where he poured his heart on countless sad, heart-breaking songs. Whenever he’s way over in his head and that one particular scenario playing in his head. Whenever he laid down on his bed and realized how  _ empty  _ and  _ lonely  _ he was on a bad day. Whenever he thought about what he’d do if the universe gave him another chance to set the records straight. 

He knows the answer to this. Only if he’s brave enough to say it out loud. The office room and the  _ reality  _ of Junmyeon’s life, the many layers that he hasn’t had the privilege to peel, are what holds him back. It’s too intimidating and daunting for him. For he knows how  _ different  _ their worlds are, and he’s not sure if he’s  _ ready  _ for that. If he's asked when he’ll be ready for it, he won’t give an exact answer too. 

It’s about a leap of faith. Whether or not he’s courageous enough to take that leap of faith and get himself the answer he deserves all this time. Whether or not he’s  _ willing  _ to take the last chance the universe gives him.

He envies Junmyeon, actually. Envious of how confident and  _ determined  _ he feels, if the way Junmyeon squeezes his hand is any indication. Envious of how  _ brave  _ and sincere he is with his words and how it all shines through his eyes. 

“I accept your apology,” is what Yixing decides to start on. “But it’s going to take time.  _ A lot  _ of time, I guess. We can’t just… go back to how we used to. It’s not going to work like that.” He tries his best to go through the jumbled mess in his brain and come up with the right words. And judging from the hopeful look across Junmyeon’s face, Yixing is sure he’s done a thing right today. 

“Of course,  _ of course _ , I totally get it. We can do it properly this time. Everything you want to ask, you can ask me. I’m going to be completely truthful to you, you don’t have to worry about that.” Yixing nods faintly, his free hand reaching for Junmyeon’s hand again and now holding both of the smaller man’s hands in his. The familiar weight of Junmyeon’s hands seems to ground Yixing down to earth, anchoring himself to the zone that he finds the most comfort in. 

“We’re doing things slowly and properly this time, okay? We take our time. No more rushing.” Seeing the smile across Junmyeon’s face and knowing that it’s directed to him causes a surge of warmth spreading through his being. Another familiar emotion that he missed. 

“Yixing.” He just hums. “Can I hug you?” The way Junmyeon sounds unsure with his request solidifies Yixing’s decision to do what he wants to do since he saw Junmyeon that night. 

Letting go of Junmyeon’s hands, he wraps his arms around Junmyeon and pulls him tight against his body. The first thing that crosses his mind as soon as he has Junmyeon in his arms again is how incredibly  _ lucky  _ he is. How the universe plays out this lengthy scenario that tested him until he’s almost to the breaking point, only to turn things around and play it to both of their favor. Leaning his head on the other’s shoulder, Yixing turns his head slightly and takes a deep breath, inhaling the familiar smell that reminds him a lot of  _ home.  _ How accustomed he was with this smell and only to have it taken away from him when he needed the most. 

Now, having Junmyeon in his arms like this, he can only shut his eyes and let himself  _ feel.  _ Feel how Junmyeon’s body is still a perfect fit to him, even though there are changes here and there. Feel how the chaos in his heart has gone a little calmer for the time being. Feel how  _ grateful  _ he is that even though he’s been cursing the universe, it’s still kind to him by giving him this perfect last chance. 


	4. four.

_iv._

Their favorite place was the two-seater couch pressed against the wall in the corner of Yixing’s apartment in Beijing. The couch looked so worn out and the color faded a little bit due to the long hours Junmyeon spent on it studying for his classes and doodling whatever cartoons on the edge of his notebook. When Yixing finally made money from his singing gig, he bought Junmyeon a small sketchbook. Not bigger than his usual notebook so he could keep it with him at all times. 

Once, when it was raining cats and dogs outside and both of them got bored of their usual activities—Yixing playing around with his guitar and humming to whatever melody came to his mind and Junmyeon reading business-related journals on his iPad—, Junmyeon suddenly had this random burst of inspiration to decorate some places in Yixing’s apartment. Yixing, being the sap he was, agreed to whatever his lover suggested. 

Firstly, it was Yixing’s room. _It’s too bare, babe, we need to add a little bit of color to liven it up,_ Junmyeon easily suggested as he teared up some papers from the back of his notebook. Leaning in to watch over his shoulder, Yixing realized that they were doodles on those papers. Random doodles of animals like bunny, dog, and sheep, and also of cutesy inanimate objects. 

They didn’t look like it’s done by a professional artist or anything, but those doodles screamed _Junmyeon_ so much, so he didn’t have any complaints. Not a peep or anything even though it clashed with the minimalistic vibe in his bedroom that he went for. Especially not when Junmyeon had the biggest smile across his face and kept letting out these adorable giggles as he used the masking tape to paste the paper on the door of his closet. 

Junmyeon decided to paste those doodles on some random places around his apartment, so “ _you’re reminded about me all the time!_ ”, he said as he skipped his merry way out of the bedroom. Yixing’s heart did this thing, where it felt like it would be inflated like a balloon and burst out of his chest, whenever Junmyeon was around. His feelings used to catch him off guard, but he’d been learning to tame it; to calm himself down and enjoy his lover’s presence beside him (and around him even though sometimes he wasn’t physically there). 

Now, though, things are different. 

Now, things are calmer. Because love, for Yixing, doesn’t have to be about all the big gestures—the racing of heart, the dates in famous restaurants, and holding hands as they walk around. Both he and Junmyeon can’t afford that. Both of their occupations don’t give them the luxury to do all those big gestures. So, they opt for simple ones yet still very meaningful. 

They opt for simple yet warmth-inducing things like giving little updates about their days here and there, bringing each other lunch (or dinner) whenever they can, holding hands under the table when they’re out for a meal with their closest friends, and whispering love confession as they lay on their bed at the end of the day. Both of them may lead a fast life, but their love grows slow yet promising as time goes on. 

Yixing may have not stayed in Seoul for as long as he’d like to due to his own commitment waiting in Beijing, but they _make it work._ The constant text messages and video calls whenever they have time are not the forms of communication they prefer, but it’s what they hold on to when they’re apart. They can’t see each other whenever they want to, so that’s why they always cherish the time when they finally see each other in the flesh again. 

“You really should stop this habit of spacing out whenever I talk.” Blinking his eyes slowly, he lets his eyes shift into focus again. Once the haze in his mind and his vision clear up, it’s the sight of Junmyeon pouting at him. It’s such an endearing sight that Yixing has to resist this urge to _coo_ at his boyfriend. 

“I’m sorry. Didn’t mean that to happen, I swear,” Yixing quickly apologizes and flashes the man sitting in front of him with a soft smile. “So, what were we talking about again?” At his question, Junmyeon lets out a dramatic sigh and rolls his eyes playfully.

“My parents… They’re flying out to Beijing next month. There’s this work gathering thing they have to attend and,” Junmyeon really has to pause to create some dramatic effect, “I might’ve asked them to clear up their second day so we could meet up together?” 

Yixing is at loss for words. His brain may or may not have circuited once it processes the words coming out of Junmyeon’s mouth. He can’t believe Junmyeon really has to drop this _news_ when he’s so fatigued from his recording session _and_ dance practice and unable to _think_ clearly. 

“W-when are they coming? I need to make sure that my schedule is clear and-”

“I’ve checked with Min-hyung already.” Junmyeon cuts off. “There’s nothing scheduled for the last weekend, so it’s okay.” Hearing that, Yixing lets out a relieved sigh. He’s _so_ relieved that he feels lightheaded from the whole conversation. 

“I think I almost have a heart attack because of that.” Laying back on the bed, he shuts his eyes and lets himself take a few deep breaths to calm his erratic heartbeat. From worrying about meeting Junmyeon’s parents for the first time _and_ worrying about his own schedule because there’s _no way_ he’d miss out on meeting his boyfriend’s parents, he thinks he has _enough_ for today.

At his antics, Junmyeon lets out a loud laugh, the sweet sound of it echoing around the room and seeping into Yixing’s heart like a melody. Sometimes, he feels like he can write a song about everything that’s related to Junmyeon. From how he’s such a sweetheart with everybody and how his smile and laugh can easily melt Yixing’s poor heart. 

“I’m lucky you love me.” Opening his eyes, Junmyeon is already gazing at him from where he leans his head on Yixing’s chest. It’s so soft and sincere, how he looks at him. And it makes Yixing once again wonder how lucky he is to witness this again. To be at the receiving end of that smile and love. 

“Yeah. I’m lucky you love me too.” The blinding smile on Junmyeon’s face is enough to charge his energy for the remainder of his day. Leaning up a little bit, he plants a kiss on the top of Junmyeon’s head which gets him a kiss in the middle of his chest from Junmyeon. 

His heart feels strangely content by that little action alone. _Content._ It’s a strange emotion; one that he only feels whenever Junmyeon is around. Other people call him a sap because of it; because of the many love songs that he keeps on creating, which is a contrast to the ones he made months ago. This time, he feels content, and the chaos in his heart has lessened and calmed a whole lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and.... that's it!
> 
> I'm aware that this story still lacks because there are actually a lot of things I want to add and elaborate on. Yixing and Junmyeon's past relationship. Junmyeon's family and his decision why he kept things very private the first time they're together, and so on so forth. But in the end, I hope you still enjoy this story, and thank you so much for reading this story ;)
> 
> (Ohhh and if you ever want to talk about sulay or chansoo or baeksoo, you can totally reach me through my twitter account. I'll add my twitter handle and stuff once the reveals are done.)

**Author's Note:**

> [edit]
> 
> Hiii, to anyone who wishes to see me freaking out about sulay (and chansoo and baeksoo), you can swing by my twitter (@omyeol17) ❤️❤️


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